“What did you mean by ‘treasure?’” McCree asks, holding out his arm for Angela to look at.
The doctor takes it with a feather-light touch.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Angela says, examining his arm. “All dragons have a treasure that they guard. Most guard gold, like you hear in those old stories. Others guard things that are important to them, though it’s mostly shiny things. Genji seems to consider you his treasure, which is why he won’t let anyone else near you. Dragons are very selfish and greedy creatures, you know.”
_____---------_____-----
Or, dragon Genji is much more open about his emotions than human Genji, and McCree doesn't know how to handle it.
AO3
Genji can feel it creeping up on him, and he curses softly. McCree groans in his arms, and Genji tries to keep his running as smooth as possible. He glances behind him, and the Talon troopers that were hot on their trail are gone. He scans the room, and quickly ducks them behind a door to the left.
With one last check, Genji shuts the door behind them. He gently sets McCree down on the ground, before backing himself against the door.
This is bad, he thinks, sinking to his knees. Genji knew what time of year it was, and had promised Dr. Ziegler that he’d be fine. The mission was supposed to be a quick in and out - it was nothing more than intelligence gathering.
However, one of Talon’s higher-ups had decided to talk to Genji like he was the help. Reyes had warned him before hand that it would happen - it was just how omnics were treated here. McCree either didn’t get the memo, or didn’t care, and broke character by punching one of them straight in the jaw.
Genji looks at the cowboy with affection. McCree might have lost the fight and blown their cover before they could get what they really came for, but it reminded him why the man has had his heart since he first joined Blackwatch. Not that he’d tell him that, of course. Genji doesn’t think he knows how to do those kinds of relationships anymore, and it isn’t like McCree feels the same. He might flirt with everyone, but Genji has known him long enough to know that he’s picky.
Genji leans forward and rips a strip of McCree’s already battered shirt off. He cleans away what blood he can, and tears off more strips to use as make-shift bandages.
“Oh, go right ahead,” McCree says, weakly. “Didn’t like this shirt anyways.”
Genji’s lips quirk. McCree made sure Reyes knew just how much he hated his undercover outfit before they left base.
“Sorry,” Genji says, even though they both know he isn’t. “I’m not exactly wearing anything that’s able to be ripped.”
“Right,” McCree says, wincing when Genji tightens the fabric on a gash on his upper-arm. “Are you technically always naked?”
Genji snorts. Leave it to McCree to ask the weirdest questions in dire situations.
“Not quite, cowboy,” he says, slouching back against the door.
McCree inspects Genji’s work and whistle lowly.
“Damn, darlin’, you could give O’Dorian a run for her money.”
“Wouldn’t you like that?” Genji teases.
How much McCree hates Moira isn’t exactly a secret to anyone that knows him. Genji remains indifferent, as he does with most people.
McCree opens his mouth like he might retort, but he reaches a hand out for Genji instead.
“You okay?” he asks, and Genji puts his hands on McCree’s chest to keep him from sitting up. “You’re shaking, darlin’. Did they get you too?”
Genji shakes his head, “I’m fine. It’s just the shift.”
McCree’s eyes widen.
“Shit,” he hisses, “we have to get you out of here.”
Genji pushes him back onto the floor.
“We nothing, McCree. You are injured, and a pilot is already on their way. We stay here until they get here.”
“Will you make it that long?”
Genji takes a deep breath, and lets it out slowly.
“If I can’t hold it back, just make sure I get onto the ship.”
McCree nods, but he doesn’t look sure. Genji didn’t expect him too; he’s not exactly a dragon tamer.
Genji tries to give him a reassuring smile, but he’s not sure how successful it is with the faceplate in the way. McCree places a hand on his knee, and he tries to concentrate on the warmth, and not the aching in his bones.
____________________________________
Genji barely makes it to the ship. McCree watches him writhe on the floor with his lip between his teeth. He hates watching Genji shift. It’s like hearing a baby cry, and not being able to do anything about it. It tugs at something deep within you, almost like helping him is ingrained in his instincts. Genji mentioned before that it’s natural - it’s something that dragon’s use to lure in their prey.
McCree’s grateful that Genji is a fairly small dragon, because he’d be the easiest prey Genji has ever seen otherwise. Instead, Genji preys on other animals, rather than people.
Genji’s cries quiet to pants, and it’s suddenly so deafeningly quiet that McCree’s ears ring. He rubs his eyes, and the curled up cyborg is replaced with a small green dragon. It’s piercing red eyes are trained on him, and he can’t help but feel uneasy. The dragon stalks forward, and wraps its body around McCree like a blanket.
“Oh,” McCree says, startled as Genji rubs his scaly face against McCree’s cheek.
The dragon huffs a breath in his face, and he coughs at the smell of the spaghetti they ate. While Genji may be small for dragon standards, he’s still big enough to completely engulf McCree as he gets comfortable. He curls around him, and rests his head on his own tail. He looks up at him with an expression that McCree would almost call adoring.
He tentatively reaches out and runs a hand along Genji’s scales. The dragon makes a pleased sound, and he smiles.
“Well, darlin’, I’d say you’re just about the cutest thing that I ever did see,” he compliments, and the dragon preens under it.
McCree laughs and settles in against the dragon. The dragon seems to approve of this, and moves with him, careful to avoid jostling any of McCree’s wounds. He falls asleep with the dragon’s solid back under his head.
_____________________________
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Reyes hisses.
Genji the dragon hisses back, and McCree continues to look on, bewildered. Reyes is stomping out a small fire that Genji spit at him when they’d entered the debriefing room.
Genji lowers himself further to the ground when Reyes steps forward, and he reminds McCree of a cat that’s getting ready to pounce. It’s a warning sign, and Reyes seems to recognize this.
“What’s gotten into him?” he demands, and McCree shrugs uselessly.
“He wasn’t like this with me,” he says, and the dragon’s head snaps in his direction.
All of the tension in the dragon’s shoulders releases when he hears McCree’s voice, and he happily nudges McCree’s stomach with his head. He tentatively pats the dragon’s head.
Reyes steps forward, and Genji is instantly on guard again. He hisses and spits, and Reyes pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I knew this was a bad idea, but the kid insisted,” he mutters to himself. Then, to McCree, “Go see Dr. Ziegler about your wounds.”
McCree nods and salutes. He gives Genji a look before leaving the room. The dragon pads after him happily.
_______________________________
“She’s just making sure I’m okay, Genji,” McCree scolds at the hissing dragon.
Genji eyes the doctor wearily. Angela gives him a smile, and fearlessly scratches under his chin.
“I’m not taking your treasure from you, Genji, I’m just going to fix it up. Pinky swear,” she says, offering the dragon her pinky.
Genji glares at it, but a look from McCree makes him huff and lick it. He jumps up onto the exemption table with McCree, and curls around his back. He watches the doctor move around him with cold eyes.
“What did you mean by ‘treasure?’” McCree asks, holding out his arm for Angela to look at.
The doctor takes it with a feather-light touch.
“Exactly what it sounds like,” Angela says, examining his arm. “All dragons have a treasure that they guard. Most guard gold, like you hear in those old stories. Others guard things that are important to them, though it’s mostly shiny things. Genji seems to consider you his treasure, which is why he won’t let anyone else near you. Dragons are very selfish and greedy creatures, you know.”
“Right,” McCree says, scratching the top of Genji’s head, a bit awed.
The dragon makes a pleased sound, but otherwise stays silent as Angela patches McCree up. He feels a million times better after being in Dr. Ziegler’s careful care, and he makes sure to tell her as such. She smiles and sends the two on their way.
“I suppose you’re sleeping with me tonight,” McCree says, glancing back at the dragon.
Genji’s tale wags happily at the attention, and McCree shakes his head fondly. He opens the door to his room, and lets the dragon in first. It makes itself comfortable in McCree’s bed, and then looks at him expectantly. McCree settles in carefully, and the dragon places its paws and head on his stomach.
McCree strokes down the dragon’s back as it relaxes, and smiles.
“You treasure me, huh?” McCree says to himself, and the dragon makes a small agreeing noise. “I treasure you, too, you know.”
He blushes, and part of him hopes that Genji won’t remember he said that when he switches back. Just because dragon Genji treasures him, doesn’t mean human Genji does.
The dragon preens, as it reaches up to lick McCree’s face. He smiles and presses a kiss to the dragon’s snout. It huffs in content, before going back to resting on his stomach. McCree pets him until he falls asleep.
